Ok, I admit it. I had absolutely no idea what the Harman/Kardon meant. . . but as soon as my husband saw it he was very impressed and said “Harman Kardon? That’s a really great sound equipment!” So score one point in the “cool wife” column

The first thing I noticed when I took the HTC One out of the box was the size.

When you compare it to my other smart phone, well, you can see a HUGE difference in the screen size. I love how big it is. Not that my eyes are starting to age or anything (or that I was told to get bifocals at my last eye appointment. . . ) but it is SO much easier for me to read on the HTC One phone. And of course with the larger screen size video is better too!

Although it’s bigger, it actually is a bit thinner than my other phone, so in my hand it feels like it weighs about the same amount. It also fits quite neatly into my hand, and my thumb can still reach all the way across the screen while holding it, which means I can still do the one handed text thing.

One of the things that really excites me about the HTC One phone is the enhanced camera. I wind up taking a lot of action and “in process” photos for my blog (and of course capturing moments with my family) using my phone. The camera on this phone is a HUGE improvement on my old one. You just have so many more options–you can set the ISO, adjust the white balance (yay!!!), you EV (from +2 to -2), and even have macro settings.

Yes, that’s a picture of my rug. I wanted you to concentrate on the options showing down the left side of the screen!

There are all sorts of editing options available right there on the phone after you’ve taken the picture as well. Filters, frames, drawing, seasonal effects, foreground effects, even a 3d tilt. . . but my very favorit is the UFocus setting. The UFocus setting lets you take pictures now, and change the focus later. How? Well with each photo the camera is actually taking the picture with two different lenses! That means I can get a cool, high end camera “depth of field” effect right there on the phone. Awe. Some.

For a blogger trying to snap in progress shots (without lugging out the “big” camera) of cooking, crafting and gardening this type of flexibility and power is AMAZING.

Where this phone really shines, and what makes it different then your standard HTC One (and gives it the Harman/Kardon Edition designation) is the SOUND.

This phone has special technology: Harman/Kardon™ technology Clari-Fi™ which restores all types of compressed digital music, and provides a more life-like headphone listening experience using LiveStage technology. It has dual speakers (top and bottom) on the phone and the volume and quality of sound really is superior! Clearer, more like a real stereo instead of a tiny little phone. Actually, it’s better than the cruddy “factory standard” radio in my car!

Pair the phone with the awesome (and completely unexpected I may add) Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio Bluetooth speaker they also sent me to play with, well, you’ve got a serious sound system in a really tiny package.

To start with the speaker looks awesome–it’s a cool black disk looking thing–great design if you ask me. You can charge it with the plug and then run it for up to 5 hours. That rechargeable battery, Bluetooth connectivity (look mom-no wires!) and portable size make it the perfect pair for the HTC Max Harman Kardon edition phone. It’s just a party waiting to happen.

If this tells you anything, we used the speaker/phone combo as the music for our Memorial Day cookout. The sound fabulous (the bass is amazing!)– by the end of the party every single man there wanted one. I think I know what several of our friends will have on their birthday lists this year!

It’s hard to believe something this small could have such big sound–but the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio speaker really does pack a huge punch.

If all that wasn’t enough, Sprint is giving it’s customers access to Spotify’s catalog of over 20 million songs as well! So you’ve got the phone, the speaker AND the music!

I’m Jenn –an Upstate NY wife, mom, blogger and veteran. I talk very fast, read constantly, take on too much and make plenty of mistakes. I’m a real person, not perfection. I love to talk about the frugal lifestyle, “Village Homesteading”, living a more sustainable lifestyle and being prepared for all the curves life throws at you.

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